Health Care Careers on the Move!

Knott County Central Anatomy and Physiology I and II students job shadow as part of this honors class. Each student will be given the opportunity to shadow 3 professionals, for a half day each, in health career fields of their interest. This allows students to determine if these careers are a possible fit for their future plans. Sometimes they complete the shadowing and KNOW they want that career, others know that wasn’t the career suited for them. Both experiences are extremely valuable to career futures. Students will also attend a health careers fair sponsored by AHEC. This provides students with hands-on medical experiences, informational talks and brochures, and visits with colleges offering health careers majors. Near the end of the course students will study in a human cadaver lab and visit the “Bodies Our Universe” exhibit, if one is within an appropriate range of location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

Students will be scheduled to visit a health care professional in a neighboring town. Some participating professionals include nurses, doctors, chiropractors, pharmacists, veterinarians, dentists, physical and other therapists, radiographers, physician assistants, lab techs, and several others, both at the hospital and private practice settings. The bus will take students to their specified locations and return for them about 3 hours later. The teacher will visit each location during this time to check on students, assuring that there are no problems and students are having a good experience. Two shadowing trips will be scheduled during the first semester and 1 the second semester. They will write a paper about each experience and receive a grade for participating.

During the first semester, students will attend the Health Careers Fair in Paintsville. Here they will visit various booths about careers, medical and other schools, and participate in many hands on health related activities. Some of these activities include filling a tooth, phlebotomy, diagnosing a Medi-man patient, and reading x-rays. Afterward the students will visit a medical school for a tour, talk from a medical student, and instructor.

Near the end of the spring semester, students will visit the cadaver lab for a practical application of their anatomy class in identifying all visible body parts, comparing cadaver parts and possibly determining cause of death. This hands-on experience is one they will never forget. The trip to “Bodies Our Universe” is another experience with plasticized cadavers in such various poses, that students see bodies in a whole new light. Both cadaver trips spark unlimited questions and are extremely worthwhile.

All these opportunities allow students to further their interests in medical and other health care careers. These experiences can be priceless, as students prepare for college and choose a major. Students will have a real-world understanding of various careers, what it is like to work with a cadaver, and what opportunities are available in their chosen field. These experiences
can be total eye-openers, by showing students educational requirements, a typical work day, career expectations, and practical insights.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (TIMELINE)

SEPTEMBER – Students have TB skin test and complete paperwork/permission for job shadowing to be scheduled through AHEC in Hazard.

Students will take the Anatomy pre-test.

OCTOBER – Job Shadow 1 in Hazard at various locations

Order models/ posters

NOVEMBER – Health Careers Fair and visit to Medical School

DECEMBER – Job Shadow 2 in Hazard at various locations

MARCH – Job Shadow 3 in Hazard at various locations

APRIL – “Bodies Our Universe” exhibit visit and study

MAY – Cadaver study and oral examination

The ARI grant allowed my students to delve deeply into human anatomy, with wonderful hands-on experiences, as well as gain practical knowledge of various careers based upon this subject. Many of my former students have returned to job shadowed professionals and been mentored by them. Some have received assistance in getting into professional schools and later jobs with the professional met during job shadowing.